The Biggs & Cunningham Detective Agency Part 3 (Unedited Text)

Story by danath on SoFurry

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#3 of Biggs and Cunningham

Part 3 of bears, cigars, etc.


The Biggs & Cunningham Detective Agency Part 3 (Unedited Text)

By Danath

This is the exact text from the 50K-in-a-Day Challenge written July 14, 2018, from midnight to 9:52 p.m. Besides running a spellcheck and removing stream-specific information, the text is unchanged from how it was written during the stream.

Huge thank you to everyone who watched the livestream:

Remetheus Lifeforce Maloo Sanmer Ursasoul CallMyLucifer Segmentium Vishki Graith Darwen Jayce Rykela Alkain Libra Taiko Machine Elf

Additional thanks and credit to:

Concept developed by Ursasoul (https://www.furaffinity.net/user/ursasoul)

Helena © Graith (https://lycantiger.sofurry.com/)

Liffy © Lifeforce (https://lifeforcer.sofurry.com/)

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Case 006: Halfwei to Heaven

Chapter 25: Sam

The elevated train platform allowed the huge steel machine to chug along over the top of the calm, placid ocean. No more than ten feet deep in any location, it was easy to lean out the window and stare down into the crystal clear water and see fish, arthropods, and other sea life scurrying around the legs of the stilts elevating the train out of the saltwater.

Biggs sprawled across one of the bench seats in their private compartment one of the dozens of cars steaming across the enormous shallow ocean. He was already dressed in his equatorial uniform: a desirably showy bikini bottom and a matching top that clung to his smooth, soft chest and lean, fluffy stomach. The fabric clung to his hips, the wide bottom squeezed between his wide cheeks, turning the bikini into a thong. The bright yellow bikini glimmered against Biggs's soft black fur as he modeled his new swimsuit in a variety of positions - on his belly to show off his plump rump, kneeling with his hair pulled back, hanging upside down from the seat. He was trying to get me randy enough to want to sneak in a little fun right in their compartment before arriving at the resort, but so far "the stubborn grizzly," as he called me, wasn't taking the bait, and instead I used my powerful upper body strength to simply armbar him away whenever he tried to get his horny little fingers on the goods.

I did enjoy the view, both inside and outside the train, though, and by the time the six-hour journey ended, the only thing I wanted to do was drag Biggs into our hotel room and screw until our brains fell out.

I whispered as much in his ear as I bumped my hips against his lower back, letting him feel the thick length of my maleness as it poked down my right pant leg. I loved the way the thick stalk squeezed against the hamstrings as I walked, though I hoped nobody would notice the ominous bulge following closely along behind the black bear in the yellow bikini.

The train deposited us on a large platform near a small, sandy island. A few trees grew in the center, but other than a desalination plant capable of serving a few hundred people, there was nothing around but water, white sand, and blue skies. Larger and smaller resorts dotted up and down the train line, which ran to the only really populated island about ten minutes away by boat. The southern tip of the island was artificially extended to meet the train line, but the resort was on the other side and received enough traffic to get a stop of its own.

I pressed my hips firmly against Biggs's backside and teased a claw down the back of his neck, making sure he knew what he signed himself up for at the start of our six-week vacation. The north could freeze over for a year for all I cared, so long as I had my paws wrapped around the black bear's hips. He grunted and pressed back, turning to grin up at me from his five and a half foot vantage point far below.

"Excuse me," a voice said. "Are you Biggs and Cunningham?"

Biggs, forgetting the obvious arousal tenting his tight bikini bottom, turned his hips, causing the obvious bulges to jiggle around. I grin and pull him to the side to cover up my hips, squeezing the thickness through my pants leg and into his lower back once more.

A tall, lean black bear in a police uniform waved to us as she approached.

"Biggs and Cunningham, right? I saw your picture in the newspaper when you got the commendation from the mayor of PVR! That was really great!"

"Uh... thanks," Biggs said, surreptitiously lowering his paws over his arousal. "We got pretty lucky overall, though."

"Maybe you could tell me about some of your cases?" the black bear asked. "I'm a police officer here in Halfwei, but one day I'd like be a private detective."

"Sure," Biggs said. "Are you free tomorrow night?"

"I am."

"Let's meet up at a bar and we'll tell you everything you could want to know about being a private detective," Biggs said, ignoring the squeeze I put on his shoulder.

"That's great! Thank you! I'm Daniella, by the way. Well, Officer Whitecap when I'm on duty, but I won't be tomorrow night! Okay, I'm going to go now before I embarrass myself. Thanks again!"

The black bear ran off, nearly skipping, and I leaned down.

"We're going to spend a night telling her stories?"

Biggs reached up and back, stroking his claws through my cheek ruffs. "It'll be fun," he said. "Besides, after tonight, you're going to need a break, 'cuz I'm about to wear that big dick completely out. Heh..."

We were barely into our room when Biggs did his best to fulfill that promise, riding my shaft for almost two hours straight before he fell from the length, gasping and groaning, legs jelly, rump gaping as my thick seed flowed freely out into the sheets. I ran my claws over his belly as my thick stalk drooped over, half-hard but ready to go one more round if I really had to.

"Huh... huh... uhhhnnnn... I told you... I'd wear... that big dick... out..."

"You sure did," I said, grinning and tickling my claws across his chest. When he was on duty, so to speak, and working a case, Biggs was dependable and professional. But the moment he was alone with me, he turned into a horny little sexpot, wanting nothing more than to snuggle and lean in with me, even if we were just reading a newspaper together. I sure wasn't going to complain.

Every once in a while I still wondered why I could remember how people were before they smoked the blue-box cigars, but it just didn't bother me as much anymore. There wasn't anything I could do about the changes, so rather than pointlessly fight them, it feels better to just go with it. Though every time I saw a panda lady with gray hair, I'd look twice to check if it was her.

Regardless, I was sure I wouldn't find Mabel randomly wandering out a popular resort in the middle of the Great Ocean, so I wasn't going to dwell on her and the strange cigars. But I would dwell on their strange effects, particularly when it was a pliable, squeezable, plush black bear booty bouncing on my thighs.

We didn't sleep much that night and napped through the morning and into the early afternoon before I dragged us both into the shower, yawning and sleepy. Biggs leaned back against my belly, letting the water dripping from my heavy chest fall around him and wash away the excesses of the previous night. On the way to lunch, I requested fresh bedding and tipped the service desk a $20 for the mess they were about to walk in on.

After lunch, we went swimming and sunbathing. The temperature was a sweltering 65 degrees, but some of the locals told stories of hitting triple digits during the summer months. Apparently a lot of the bears shave their pelts in May.

We were both refreshed and relaxed when we showed up at the bar. It was an open-air bar with some seats on a raised platform and other seats in the water. Separate bar levels connected by stairs into the ocean itself provided easy access for the busy bartenders.

I grinned and eyeballed my cute black bear as he swished his hips on the way back from the bar, carrying a large beer in a frosted glass for me and a fruity mixed drink for himself. All Biggs wore was a tight little bikini bottom, a red one trimmed in black, that struggled to contain all the booty hanging from his lower back. I dressed more modestly in a wrap-around top and a sari skirt hung loose to disguise some of my more prominent bulges.

I'd no more taken my first long drink from the cold mug and licked the foam from my upper lip when I heard Officer Whitecap's voice.

"Oh, Biggs and Cunningham, you're here!"

Daniella rushed across the platform towards us and took a seat between Biggs and myself. I nodded and smiled at her as she beamed. She wore a purple bikini-style top and a matching wrap skirt around her shapely hips.

"I'm so glad I get the chance to talk with you!" she said. "I know it's your vacation and you're just here to get away from the Snap and all, but this is really special for me. Thank you so much!"

Biggs grinned and waved three fingers at the bartender, ordering a round for all three of us, before turning to Daniella.

"So, what do you want to know about being a private eye?" he asked, sipping at his drink.

That launched into a long conversation between the two of them that I mostly tuned out. Biggs handled the numbers in the office. Even when I was the secretary, I got Biggs to handle most of the paperwork. He could do it quicker and with few mistakes, and it left me free to focus on other things. He went over numbers, payroll, taxes, licenses and fees, while I listened with half an ear. Mostly I enjoyed the spectacular sunset view and large lagers the bartender delivered on a regular basis.

"So that's really all you need? A permit from the city?"

"Yeah, and some cities have reciprocity. For example, our license to operate as detectives is valid here in Halfwei," Biggs said. "A license issued in Halfwei is also good in Werrald."

Daniella glanced around and realized the sun had set long ago. The bar was nearly empty as the bartenders wiped down tables, preparing to close for the night.

"Tell you what," I said, standing and stretching. I resisted the urge to belch as a few gallons of liquid refreshment sloshed around in my stomach, mixing with dinner and the bar food they had available. "I'm going to go for a soak. I'll meet you later at the cabin."

"See you later, Sam!" Biggs said. "Now, Daniella, it's really important to remember that..."

I grinned and waved a paw as the two went back to discussing the nitty gritty details. I took the steps down into the water and let myself float in the soft current, sighing as the warm water soaked into my pelt and carried me across the white sandy floor of the shallow ocean. I kept an eye on our cabin, one of the last in a bundle of sixteen circular stilt huts, so I wouldn't lose my bearings. At some point - I missed when - the lights came on in the hut. After another hour or so of gentle floating in the extremely relaxing surf, I turned over and slowly paddled my way towards our hut, foregoing the walkways in favor of a swim.

It wasn't until I was about thirty feet or so from the cabin that I saw and smelled the pungent, familiar odor of cigars.

Chapter 26 - Biggs

As much as I enjoy spending time with Sam, it's nice to have a conversation with someone about all the interesting details and minutiae that go along with the business. I can't blame Sam for not being interested, but it did mean I wanted to take full advantage of the time with Daniella.

After we left the bar and the swimming grizzly, I walked back to my hut with Daniella, discussing various types of licenses and categories of work. I cautioned her against taking some types of cases and gave some details from our own recent exploits, most of which she found hard to believe.

"I can't believe he'd try to ruin a singer's voice like that!" Daniella exclaimed. "Why didn't you turn him over to the police?"

"That's kind of the hard part of working slightly outside the law," I said. "Sometimes it's not right or wrong, but somewhere in between. And besides, if you ever saw Lucy Givens, you'd know she's the type that gets exactly what she wants."

I grinned and opened the door to the hut, then almost fell over myself when I tripped over a blue cigar box sitting on the floor of the hut. I reached down and picked it up as Daniella peeked over my shoulder.

"What's that?" she asked.

I opened the cigar box and inhaled the familiar aroma of the dark wrappers with the gold foil "MM" logo on the bands. A stogie sounded really good right about now.

"Sam must have brought these along," I said. "She knows they're my favorite type."

Daniella grinned. "I didn't take you for the smoking type," she said.

"You know, I wasn't until recently, but I gotta admit, it's a fun hobby. Very relaxing. And these are my absolute favorite brand - nothing else can compare."

I pulled a cigar out and passed it to the black bear, then took one out for myself.

"Do you partake?"

"I tried one once, but I think it was a bad cigar because it didn't taste very good. This one smells a lot different."

I nodded and sniffed the wrapper again, flushing as the powerful, earthy scent filled my nostrils. "These are my favorites, for sure. Sam's not so picky, but these are about the only ones I smoke. I'm surprised she got a whole box, but we are going to be here for six weeks, I guess." I grinned at Daniella. "Want to have one with me while I wait up for Sam to finish swimming?"

The black bear's grin stretched for miles and I knew I'd made her whole week.

"Of course!" she said. "That's like being invited for a drink with your favorite writer. How could I refuse?"

A few minutes later, a thick haze of white smoke enveloped us. I left the light on outside the hut, but shut off the interior so we could enjoy the night sky. The gentle breeze didn't penetrate the stilt hut, leaving the scent to linger in the moonlight. I sighed and relaxed on the small bed, legs dangling off, while Daniella reclined in the large chair, the only other furniture in the small hut besides the tiny restroom and closet.

"These really are delicious," Daniella said, her voice low and soft in the moonlight.

"Aren't they?"

"Biggs! Biggs!"

I sat up as I heard Sam's voice and grinned. "Oh, she must be done with her swim."

The door to the hut flew open and the dripping wet grizzly glared around, and, spotting the box, marched over it and flipped it closed before realizing both Daniella and I already had half-smoked lit cigars in our fingers. The muscular police officer smiled at Sam - the black bear was really quite tall, a good foot and a half over me, and had a body like it was carved out of marble.

I was in the midst of enjoying the view of Daniella's large chest stretching and straining against her ridiculously small top - I don't know how she ever fit into it in the first place - leading down to a deep-cut six pack of muscle stacked on muscle. Her pelt rippled over the large bulges, showing every fiber of power rippling through her exquisitely toned body. My big grizzly was still the largest and obviously most powerful of the two, of course, but if Sam was a powerlifter, Daniella must have focused on bodybuilding.

"Biggs, you can't just give these cigars out!"

I glanced at Sam. She seemed upset, but I wasn't sure why. "What do you mean?"

"You can't... well... they can... they're really powerful and a beginner might feel sick smoking it," she said.

"I don't think that's a problem," I replied, grinning. "She's handling it just fine. Right, Daniella?"

The police offer nodded, eyes glazed as she flexed an arm and caused an eye-popping amount of powerful muscle to flex against her short-cropped black fur. Being from the hottest climate on Ur, she kept her fur short year-round, I assumed. It helped show off the cords of muscle stretching and flexing for sure.

"I just... oh, my..."

Sam stared at Daniella as though seeing her for the first time. I grinned. Yes, Daniella was a big girl, but Sam hadn't stared at her like this earlier. I shook my head. Sam could be a little funny sometimes.

I stood up and pinched my cigar between my lips, drawing deep before standing on tiptoes to pull Sam's unprotesting muzzle to mind. She grunted at the taste of the cigar smoke I passed into her muzzle as our tongues met, tasting the flavors of the tobacco that accumulated in my mouth. The big bear's low growl of pleasure rumbled from her chest as the relaxing cigar smoke drifted from her nostrils. A quick squeeze between her thighs confirmed my suspicions as I curled my claws around her ears, keeping her muzzle tight to mine as the cigar smoldered in my other paw a few inches away.

Eventually we broke the kiss, with tendrils of smoke still drifting in the air between us. Sam's eyes lidded over and stared at me with an expression I knew all too well. I grinned, almost giggling, as Daniella rose from her seat and squeezed in against the muscular grizzly bear. The police officer growled at me as she slid her palm down Sam's belly, eventually wrapping her paw around the grizzly's thick, half-hard bulge in her swimsuit. Sam's fingers returned the explorative favor, tickling down the large bulges of her incredible six-pack to the smooth groin, teasing the insides of her thighs until Daniella's muzzle dropped open with a soft moan.

I made myself useful by removing clothes, first Sam's and then Daniella's, as my big burly grizzly started giving that look to Daniella as well. The muscular she-bear shuddered as the eight-foot-tall grizzly's paws slid down her backside, caressing her firm core and squeezing the hard, fat glutes, made thick and strong through years of diligent exercise.

I got my paws busy next, stroking across Daniella's shoulders and chest, teasing her large breasts. The warm, firm orbs were even larger than Sam's set. As Sam squeezed in behind Daniella, I teased her front, using my to slide along her hard belly, kissing across the powerful biceps, and sneaking teasing nibbles of her thick teats. Sam's paws clung to the bear's hips, holding her in place as the grizzly's thickness slid between her plump, hard rump cheeks, smearing pre-cum into Daniella's thick, short-cropped black pelt.

The grizzly's growl of pleasure echoed in the room as Daniella's cigar continued to smolder between her lips. Mine, meanwhile, was stuck between Sam's lips as the black bear's paws wrapped around my head and pushed me towards her thighs. At the same time, Sam's hips drew back and lined un, flexing and stretching against the black bear's warm lips. The feminine sex opened gradually for Sam's thickness as I watched from inches away, pushing my head between Daniella's legs to lick and kiss across Sam's girth.

The two bears groaned and growled as Sam entered the muscular black bear. Daniella's claws gripped my ears more tightly as she shoved my muzzle between her thighs, rubbing my lips and nose across her stretched clit. I could hear the friction of Sam's powerful stalk shoving deep into the female bear's wet sex and shuddered as their musks mixed in my nose. The claws gripped tighter around my head as the black bear's hips were pushed forward by a slow, deep thrust from Sam. I grunted and moaned into the huge stalk sliding deep as the bulging urethra pressed over my lips.

Soon my muzzle was a mess, dripping with thick male pre-cum and clear feminine honey. I used my long tongue, sometimes sliding it between Daniella's lips and the throbbing, invading length, often earning a tight squeeze around the ears in response. My own erection dribbled between my legs as Sam picked up the rhythm, pumping faster and harder, which in turn encouraged Daniella to shove my muzzle against her stretched pussy with even more vigor, until all I could hear besides the blood rushing in my ears was the high pitched moans of the muscular black bear and the low, bass grunts of the grizzly bear behind her. Sam's thrusts intensified and Daniella shuddered as her body lifted onto its toes each time Sam pumped forward. I stretched my head, craning my neck as the black bear's grip around my ears tightened even more. She cried out, gasping, squeezing and clenching me in against her exposed clit until I wrapped my lips around it and suckled. A flood of juices washed across my face before I heard the telltale signs of Sam's impending orgasm as well. The grizzly's hips drove forward, drilling the black bear over and over until a loud roar rang out into the night. A musky flood of seed rolled across my face and soaked into my fur as Daniella's claws kept my face tight between her stretched thighs.

I leaned forward, half dangling by my neck as the black bear's incredibly strong thighs squeezed and clenched, burying me in heat and warmth and musk. I couldn't tell how long I was wriggling around down there, but by the time I emerged, Daniella's hips were shivering with the aftereffects of the deep dicking delivered by the grizzly. I licked my lips, tasting them both on my tongue, and growled hotly. I was still fully aroused and both Sam and Daniella collapsed together on the bed, panting hard and resting as I stood in front them paws on my hips. I must have looked a little petulant because when Sam lifted her head, she grinned and nudged Daniella, who giggled at the sight of my cream-covered face.

"Poor Biggs," Sam said, growling teasingly. "Looks like we need to take care of him."

"Looks that way," Daniella said.

Four powerful paws reached out, grasping at me and dragging me onto the bed with them. They flipped me over, treating me like I weighed nothing, and wedged my head between Sam's half-hard stalk and Daniella's glistening pussy. Their hips shoved forward and back as their muzzles pressed into my crotch. Wide tongues and long snouts slid and teased across my aching shaft. Sam's muzzle opened and I made a "hrrrnnggh!" sort of noise when she swallowed my balls completely and suckled, pulling and tugging on them until I was panting and squirming and leaking like mad. Daniella's black-furred muzzle wrapped around shaft, swallowing the entire thing with ease.

The two ladies groaned in unison as they pushed their muzzles together, kissing each other, even trying to push their tongues past each others' lips, while my stalk and nuts were firmly embedded within their warm, slippy mouths.

Needless to say, I came like a rocket, grunting and twitching as their makeout session around sensitive shaft and balls continued. Daniella's throat swallowed, not spilling a drop as their tongues bathed my lower hips, sheath, and belly, making me gasp and wriggle all the more as the sensitive part of my arousal came on strong, sending wriggles of electric pleasure up my spine with every long stroke of tongue over my swollen maleness.

Daniella smacked her lips and shivered, body flexing hot and hard against my face.

"You ever ride this cute boy?" she asked, grinning widely as her claws tickled my belly fur.

"Occasionally," Sam said, her voice a satisfied growl as her thickness flexed against my face. "He's fun - a real wriggler if you get him beneath you."

"Oh? This I've got to try..."

I shuddered as a powerful pair of she-bear thighs squeezed around my hips, pinning my arms to my sides and pushing warm, wet heat around my aching shaft.

I was hard in moments.

It went that way for hours, with Sam and Daniella only occasionally allowing me a break from servicing their huge, muscular bodies, worshiping their calves and thighs, their glutes and delts and biceps, every part I could reach received my personalized attention until the morning light rose in the eastern sky.

Chapter 27: Sam

Daniella was no longer in the bed when I woke up, but Biggs let out a purring growl and stretched against me, working the kinks out of his back after a long night. I ran my claws through his pelt as he squeezed against my front, using my chest as a pillow. His fingers snuck between my thighs, wrapping around my sheath and giving it a firm squeeze.

"G'morning," he said, his fur sticky with seed and various other fluids.

I grinned and squeezed his shoulders. "Morning."

"Shower?"

I shook my head. "Ocean."

Biggs's face lit up. "Oh, right! I forgot!"

The black bear giggled as he wiggled free of my clutching grasp and found a relatively clean pair of bikini bottoms on the floor of the hut. I relaxed in the bed, idly stroking my half-hard morning wood, as I watched him shimmy and dance side to side in an effort to fit the bikini bottoms around his plump, thick tush.

I took a few extra minutes to find a swimsuit and stuff my length inside. I bulged terribly, but at least I was covered. The water was amazing, as usual. Biggs and I teased each other for a bit as we splashed about in the water under our hut, before we climbed back up and toweled each other dry. I grunted as he worked the towel into my lower back, getting a little bit of a massage as well as a rub-down.

There was a knock at the door. Biggs, straddling the backs of my wide thighs and vigorously toweling dry my rump, leaned back and shouted "Come in!" Fortunately, my chest was on the warm wood floor so I could wrap my arms around the girls to keep them in check for company.

"Good morning!"

Daniella appeared in the doorway and stepped inside. I felt a throb in my loins at the sight of her: powerful, obscenely ripped muscles stretching her short black fur in every direction, from her huge arms to massive thighs and calves, and everything in between. The police uniform shirt she wore barely stretched around her shoulders and the buttons pulled so tight that they revealed inches of short black chest fur between them. A pair of blue shorts clung to her hips, outlining the deep cut of her lower abdomen and the excruciatingly hard and fit slope from her lower stomach to her clearly visible camel toe. The shorts hiked up, wedging themselves between her cheeks.

Noticing my staring, Daniella grinned.

"I know, these clothes are way too small. All my uniforms shrunk in the wash and I can't get a new one until Monday!"

"Don't go for a larger size on my account," Biggs said, grinning at the muscle-bear.

"Okay, listen, the reason reason I'm stopping by this morning isn't to thank you for a wonderful time last night, but to ask for your help," Daniella said, watching carefully as the nude Biggs toweled away at my hips and rump again, spending a lot of time making sure my tail was dry before moving on. "There's been a theft from one of the other guests, and it's time sensitive."

"Time sensitive?"

"One of the guests has a medical condition that requires them to take medicine regularly. Somebody stole their bag with the medicine inside."

"What can we do to help?"

Daniella shrugged. "I was hoping you had ideas. There's no witnesses and these stilt huts aren't exactly impregnable fortresses," the black bear said, motioning at the wide windows open around the entire stilt hug, with only some curtains available to strategically block the views of the neighbors when privacy was needed.

"You've asked around?"

"Of course, but nobody saw anything."

"Has this happened before?"

"Bags go missing all the time, there's no way of knowing if this is a serial thief or not."

Biggs started thinking really hard and the vigorous toweling slowed down considerably. I sighed as it looked like I was going to have damp legs at breakfast. While my cute little black bear went into serious detective mode, I finished drying my legs and slipped into a wrap top and matching bottom, both a simple black color against my dark brown fur.

"So there's no pattern to the thefts? They don't align with the train arrival?"

Daniella narrowed her eyes. "You know what... not all of them do, but this one and quite a few others do line up with the time the train arrives and departs.

Biggs grinned as pulled his skimpy bikini bottom tighter around his plush hips. "There you go. And I'll bet all the huts being stolen from are near the station, close enough someone could slip out, swim over, and swim back? I mean, people swim around the tracks all the time, right? Who's going to notice one more person?

"It's more than one person."

Biggs and Daniella both turned to look at me as we walked over the wooden boardwalk elevated above the shallow ocean below.

Biggs's hips began to wag with excitement as he considered what I'd said. "Of course! They swim the stolen bags out to the train and before anyone notices anything is gone, they're on the other side of Halfwei!"

Daniella nodded and slapped a paw across my back. The muscular black bear's fingers almost made me stumble. Damn, but Daniella had some power in her. I grinned and punched her playfully in the shoulder as we approached one of the several breakfast cafes, this one serving fresh seafood plates. I ordered some sushi and plucked the morsel-sized bits from the plate before it hit the table.

"A few more of those, please," I said, grinning as the chefs cast worried glances at each other, especially once Daniella joined in. Biggs, funny enough, only picked at a plate of shrimp, claiming he was still full from last night.

"So you know how they're doing it," I said between popping slices of fresh fish past my lips. "The question is, how do you catch them without letting them know you're on to them?"

Chapter 28: Biggs

I, personally, do not like it when Sam and Daniella conspire together to come up with a plan without telling me first.

First of all, they stuffed me in a bag. A bag! And left my lying in a room near the train station. Not cool.

Second, they both are getting on board the train. If I don't end up on the train, they won't know where I am. Double not cool.

And finally, they're the strong ones. I could put one of them in a box and ship it to the thieves, they bust out, beat everyone up, the end. What am I gonna do? Blowjob them all unconscious?

Well, actually...

But instead, I'm in a bag barely large enough to fit me. I've got to keep my legs up near my head, which forces my rump and tail to stretch outwards in what I'm sure is a very obvious way.

They didn't zip the bag all the way so I can get out if needed, but I'm hoping nothing happens when the train comes through this time so I can think up a better plan than "Put Biggs in a box."

I stiffened and tried not to move when I heard footsteps. Claws skittered across the floor and I felt myself flying through the air a moment later. I gasped when I hit the water, but the bag was waterproof and I didn't land zipper-side down. Powerful fingers groped at me through the bag, then pulled away.

"What the hell is in this thing? It weighs a ton and it's real squishy..."

The fingers dug into my hips and thighs, shoving my rump cheeks together so rough I was left panting when the paws released me and shoved me through the water. I could hear the train engine above, then I was flying through the air again, this time straight upwards.

"It's too heavy!" I heard a voice whisper.

"It's gotta be something good! Pull!"

The bag pulled tauta round my hips and rump, I'm sure outlining what was an embarrassing arousal through the fabric. I was losing some feelings in my extremities from having my ankles behind my head for so long, so I couldn't quite tell if I was hard or not when I felt a new set of paws haul me over the edge of the train's window, a specially treated lumber to resist saltwater.

"Unf!"

"What the hell..."

Large paws reached down and grabbed at me and the zipper, yanking it open.

"Uhhh... hi." I smiled and waved as nonchalantly as I was wable with my ankles wrapped around the back of my head, my bottom covered in a painfully stretched bikini bottom leaving nothing to the imagination, and a hard arousal from those unfortunate rump squeezes earlier.

A large panda bear stared back at me, eyes wide.

"Little help?" I asked.

Instead, he leaned out the window. I heard them whisper-shouting over the noise of the train as I rolled onto my side and slowly stretched my legs out. The pins and needles were painful.

"It's a guy!"

"What?"

"It's! A! Guy!"

"So throw it out!"

"I can't throw a bear out!"

"What?"

I poked my head out of the window next to the panda and waved at the polar bear treading water, then dropped to my knees, clocking my jaw on the wooden frame as the lack of sensation in my legs forced them to buckle with the onset of even more severe pins and needles.

Dazed and rolling on the floor, I was only in the way when the door to the car burst open. Luggage flew as Daniella and Sam fought through the obstacles to reach me. The panda saw them coming, taking just one glance before hurling himself out the window. There was a splash below and cursing.

"You idiot! You landed on me!"

"Swim! Swim!"

Daniella's loud growl echoed out of the train car as she lunged forward, stretching her arms and legs, using her powerful muscles to clear a ten-foot dive out the window. She flipped around going down and landed with nary a splash.

I waved my paws at Sam when she knelt down next to me.

"It's dead leg! Just get 'em!"

The grizzly's grin stretched across her face.

"You know, that's gonna be pretty funny later on once this is all ov-"

"Go!"

The grizzly dove out the next window down from the muscular black bear. There was a loud whompf and the sprinkling of water being displaced. I could only imagine the epic belly flop I just missed.

An air whistle shrieked at the front of the train and I rolled halfway onto my side, but the pins and needles were still making it impossible to stand up. I tried to drag myself to the window as the train pulled away, taking me rapidly out of sight of the four figures in the water.

Chapter 29: Sam

I was never particularly graceful in the water and the way I just hit would not change anyone's opinion. I doubled over, trying not to heave water as the air got knocked out of my. I'm eight feet tall and that belly flop hit like a punch to the kidneys.

I heard Daniella growling and splashing after one of the thieves - it looked like the polar bear, which would make sense, since they were usually good swimmers. Gasping for air, I tried to kick my legs and push myself towards the panda, who was, fortunately, about as bad a swimmer as me, if not worse.

Still, I didn't catch up for several long minutes as my rhythm improved. Recovering from the belly flop really slowed me down. The panda didn't even try to resist once I got a hand around his ankle; he just rolled onto his back, gasped for air, and let me tow him back to the train station, where I had to carry him out of the water on my shoulder. The polar bear was in much better condition physically, but he sat on the bench at the train station in a pair of cuffs and a muzzle. I was impressed Daniella got them on the large male by herself, but then I remember just how fit this particular bear was as water flashed across her swollen core.

The black bear glanced at me as I deposited the exhausted panda on the bench next to his partner in crime before taking a seat right next to him. We leaned against each other as tried to catch our breath.

"Biggs?"

"He'll have to catch the next train back."

"It's in three hours. Will he be okay?"

"I'm sure he will. What sort of trouble could he get into on a simple train trip?

Chapter 30: Biggs

"Never leave home without them!" I said, producing a pair of waterproof cigar tubes. The conductor grinned as he accepted one. After finding out I was technically a stowaway, but also part of an active crime scene, the conductor was going to make sure I got on the right train back to the resort. We got to chatting, and it turns out, he likes a cigar now and again.

Chapter 31: Sam

Biggs got back later in the evening than I would have expected, but at least he appeared unharmed. He told me about the interesting train conductor he met - she was a real solid piece of work and they had a little too much fun. The reason he was back so late was because they accidentally flooded the engine room.

I checked the cigar box and sure enough, two more were gone.

Oh, Biggs.

Daniella stopped by after dark. She couldn't stay for the night, unfortunately, but she wanted to let us know that the resort was so glad of their assistance the rest of their stay was comped, 100 percent. Biggs made immediate plans to see the fur and hair stylist, but my belly grumbled. I was going to get sushi. Lots of sushi.

Case 00X: The Cunning Corporate Espionage

Chapter 32: Biggs

I was at my desk working on some paperwork for the last case when I heard the door open. As soon as I looked up, I smiled.

"Penny!"

A tall and muscular tan bear in a stylish white coat and short skirt smiled back at me. "Hello again, Mr. Biggs."

"Just Biggs, please. Can I get you a coffee? Water? Tea?"

"No, thank you, Biggs. I'd like to make this brief, if I can."

"Of course."

"You know how much I appreciate discretion when it comes to sensitive business details," the bear said. After I nodded in agreement, she continued. "I would expect you to maintain that discretion should you agree to help me. Essentially, I need to find a spy."

I blinked. "A spy?"

"A corporate spy. A rival company is stealing my secrets, Biggs, and I want you and Miss Cunningham to put a stop to it."

I thought furiously for a few seconds. I was excited - a new case, a new challenge. I'd never considered corporate espionage before, but how different could be than tracking a cheating husband?

"We can help," I said.

"Good. Bill me your expenses. I expect you'll be fair. Please let me know when you've made progress. My number."

I plucked the paper from between her claws. "You realize we'll need access to your corporate paperwork and database."

"Of course."

"We may have to dig around some sensitive areas."

"Naturally."

"We'll be probing every nook and cranny until we-"

"Yes, Biggs, I understand, thank you."

The muscular, tan-furred bear nodded. I got one more glimpse of the large bulge in the front of her tight pencil skirt before she turned and glided for the door, hips swaying side to side with an ease that made me jealous.

"Oh, and Biggs?" she said, pausing at the door and turning, highlighting the size of her bust and bulge in profile. "If you're able to help, I'll be... eternally grateful."

I blinked. Did Penny Pinchbottom, heiress to the Pinchbottom fortune, just blow me a kiss? Nah, couldn't be.

Once Sam came back with dinner, I filled her in on the details and we discussed a plan while we ate.

The first thing we had to do was get more details about which secrets were stolen and how. The next morning, we called Penny and had her send her head of security to our office to avoid suspicion should someone see us going into the Pinchbottom Industries headquarters.

"They copied the papers using small cameras, we believe, and then developed the microfilm later on in a blown up size."

I glanced at Sam, but her eyes were glazed over already.

"Who has access to the records room? Specifically, the secret documents and plans?"

The gray-furred brown bear rubbed his chin. "I'd say around a dozen people."

"I'll need a list."

"Of course."

"Do you log everyone going in or out?"

"Yes, I have a copy here for you."

I passed the log to Sam, who slid it right back across the table without looking at it. I reached over and pulled it back.

"Okay, anything else you can tell us? Any suspicions? Threats? Who are Penny Pinchbottom's enemies that have the resources to pull something like this off?

"Oh, well that's an easy one to answer: Culebra Corporation."

"Culebra?"

"They've been after our trade secrets for years. Run by a widower named Rusa Perry. She took over after her husband passed."

After the security chief left, I tapped my claws on my desk, thinking hard. Culebra was the obvious suspect, but obvious wasn't always correct. We needed more information. Another phone call to the helpful assistant to Miss Pinchbottom landed us an invitation to a corporate charity event where Pinchbottom and Perry would be present. With so many industry insiders and shareholders present, I knew I'd be able to get the information I needed one way or another. As long as I could maintain the facade I was some business bigwig.

The night of the event, Biggs tucked himself down and wiggled into a form-fitting green and white gown, while Sam struggled with the buttons of an oversized suit coat that barely stretched around her broad shoulders. She grimaced as the jacket rubbed up and down across her nipples until they stretched painfully outwards. There was little she could do about it though; removing the jacket only made them appear to press out even further, causing more embarrassment to the eight-foot-tall muscle-bear.

"Want to review our cover stories?" I asked. "Also, you look really good in that coat."

Sam stuck her tongue out at me. "I am Samantha Guard, a wealthy investor looking for new businesses to splash some cash around on. You are my investment adviser, Dorkus Maximus."

It was my turn to stick my tongue out at her.

"Sounds like we're ready to go," I said.

Chapter 33: Sam

"Sounds like it," I said.

We used a car service provided by Pinchbottom Industries to go to the soiree, which was at the home of Rusa Perry herself, a sprawling mansion featuring dozens of rooms, though the party was on the sprawling grounds of the mansion rather than inside the opulate building.

I was easily the tallest person at the event. Biggs and I were also some of the youngest. He disappeared almost immediately after we arrived, leaving me to try to hobnob with the upper crust socialites. I found that just by nodding and making the occasional "Oh? How interesting!" remark, I could sustain a conversation indefinitely.

My congeniality apparently made me popular as wel. I couldn't go five feet without one gray-furred grizzly or a slim moon bear or a chunky polar wanting to make small talk. I quickly figured out this pattern too, but it took me a little longer to realize I was one of the whales, while the circulating CEOs and investment firms were the sharks trying to take us down. There was a sales pitch in everything, and I had to be careful about making commitments. I shot a few people down, referring them to my investment advisor who just had to step away to handle an important call from Estington regarding some resort properties on the island.

The Snap turned out to be a popular topic and I could usually get the conversation going around that, mostly regarding where the best places to winter away from Werrald was.

After almost 45 minutes with no sign of Biggs, however, I was getting worried. A few polite inquiries put me on the trail - he'd of course beelined straight for the mansion, claiming to need to use the phone. Well, that was the excuse of the day.

A friendly security guard pointed me in the direction of the guest phone, located off the kitchen, but there was no Biggs, so I started to just wander the halls looking in every room. I was starting my way through the east wing when, as I popped my head into yet another empty bedroom full of dusty furniture, I heard a voice behind me.

"Excuse me, ma'am, can I help you?"

I jumped and turned around. "Ah!"

The polar bear held up his paws. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you!"

"Sorry, I just seem to be lost," I said, though my heart was still thumping in my chest from the shock.

"Are you here for the charity event?"

I nodded.

"I'm heading to it myself. May I escort you?"

I grinned and linked my arm through the polar bear. He only came up to my shoulder, but it was a polite gesture. "Thank you very much."

"I'm Saur Carthage," he said. "I'm the acting CEO of Culebra Corporation."

"Samantha Guard, Guard Investing." I tried not to tense up. The acting CEO? Why was there an acting CEO? I tried to remember what Biggs talked about with the security guy from Pinchbottom Industries. I really needed to learn to pay attention in the meetings. "You must be under quite a lot of stress as acting CEO," I said, trying to think of something, anything that was appropriate to say to Saur.

"Well, it is a stressful job," he said. "Fortunately, the late CEO's wife is the majority owner, which makes certain decisions easier."

"Rusa Perry, right?"

"That's right! Are you a potential investor? A whale or a shark?"

I grinned. I liked Saur already. "I'm a whale, I suppose, but please keep it to yourself. There are enough sharks in the water already."

The polar bear nodded and grinned again as we approached the entrance to the charity event. "Thank you for a pleasant conversation," he said, nodding at me. "Maybe we'll run into each other again before the end of the night."

Now, I'm bad at picking up signals, but this one got through. I looked around trying to find out where my detective partner had gone so I could fill him in on my progress. A chance meeting with the acting CEO could be developed. I had a gut feeling Saur wouldn't be involved, but then again, gut feelings have been wrong before. I tried to think about it like Biggs would - chess pieces on a board, maybe, or a complex spreadsheet charting possibilities and probabilities, but the picture fell apart in my head. I didn't have enough information to try to think up simulations like Biggs would.

Where was that bear?

Chapter 34: Biggs

I slipped away from the party without ever entering it. I felt a little bad about ditching Sam, but she needed plausible deniability if I got caught. If I blew my cover, she could protect hers.

I asked around for a telephone in order to make sure I left a trail pointing to the house, but I really snuck towards the guardhouse, a large structure where the guards kept lists of everyone who entered the property and when. I had the times of when the espionage took place - specifically, the first known time of public release after it filtered out through layers of shareholders, anonymous memos, and form letters. If I could cross reference visitors to the owner of the company and the people authorized to access the secret files at Pinchbottom Industries, I could directly and easily find my spy. It was a long shot, but it was worth it. I was gambling that a shut-in like Rusa, who had parties come to her instead of having to leave to go to parties - would want to deal directly and on her estate with whoever was selling her stolen secrets from Pinchbottom.

The only problems I had in getting that list of visitors from the days leading up to the leak were the three guards in the gatehouse. All three were large, beefy grizzly bears, virtually indistinguishable, from their large shoulders to their broad hips. They were beefy boys, alright, but fortunately I have experience with the larger types.

I slid into the guardhouse, all smiles and curiosity. At first they told me to leave, but when I kept asking innocent questions (and inadvertently showing more and more skin) their objections faded. It took all of fifteen minutes before I was on the floor between them, dress hiked up, with one large grizzly thrusting into my muzzle after another. They took turns as I used my paw on the two not currently getting a tongue bath. I could smell their musk and shuddered as they crowded in close, jostling my shoulders and dragging their heavy testicles across my cheeks and head. I wiggled as I bobbed up and down, suckling firmly, using my to squeeze each sac just the way I would with Sam.

The grizzlies were no match for me. One after another I was grabbed, shoved down, and made to swallow nice loads, but with so much practice with Sam, I didn't spill a drop, to their amusement. After that, it was a simple thing to wait a few minutes for all three males to fall into light dozes. I paged through the clipboard hanging on the wall, looking through the sign-in sheets split up by month, until I found the name I was looking for - a name I recognized from the Pinchbottom Industries list: Isaac Coldcreek. He visited two days before the leak became public.

I slipped the clipboard back onto the wall and snuck back over to the part, making sure to wipe my muzzle on the back of my arm before smoothing out my slightly wrinkled dress. I spotted Sam immediately, of course, and headed over, a smile on my face.

"Bi- Uh, I mean, Ashley!"

I leaned in close and made a show of whispering in her ear for the benefit of all the nearby sharks who saw me finally arrive after supposedly working on some deal or another over the phone.

"Just nod, make an excuse leave, and let's get out of here! I know who the spy is!"

"And I got the acting CEO's number."

"What?"

"What?"

Later, in the back of the car sent by the car service company, Sam and Biggs compared notes. Saur's name did not appear on the sign-in log for the same day that Isaac did, but that didn't mean Saur wasn't involved, despite Sam's positive attitude towards him. We'd still have to check him out, and Sam agreed.

"Why were these secrets stolen?" I asked again. "They're not the most important secrets. Some of them have even been leaked before."

"Why would someone steal used secrets?" Sam asked.

"That's it!" I exclaimed. "Sam, you're a genius! Used secrets!"

The large grizzly glanced sideways at me, unsure if my enthusiasm was a good or bad thing. I noticed, of course, and grinned at her as I leaned in close.

"Sam, you just cracked this case wide open. And all we need to do is set a very simple trap..."

Chapter 35: Sam

I fiddled with the tie of my suit as I waited near the back of the charity engagement two weeks later, same time and place as the first. The charity was different, but most of the people were the same. My job was similar to the one Biggs undertook the last time: distract the guards. I put on a grin, ducked out of the party, and approached the guardhouse.

Biggs didn't specify how, and this was easier and less raucous than starting a fight. Besides, another box of the cigars mysteriously appeared on our doorstep last week. An ongoing gift from Mabel?

"Hello, boys!" I said, strutting into the guardhouse. "You're doing fine work and I just wanted to say you're appreciated. Here you go, here you go, annnd - here you go."

I handed a fake business card with the name "Ashley Security" on the front. The phone number was for a certain brothel run by an acquaintance, with the card itself taped to a cigar in a nickel-plated screw-top tube.

I leaned in against the third of the grizzlies, smiling as I put my chest on full display. "Any of you boys ever need a job, you give me a call, hear?"

The grizzly's eyes lifted from my chest to my face and back again as I smiled and held up a book of matches.

"Light?"

As the smoke filled the guardhouse, inducing a familiar sense of relaxation, I stroked my claws through the fur of the three moaning, squirming, big-bottomed grizzlies, each now no more than five feet tall and eager for a turn with my thick erection.

Chapter 36: Biggs

Sam snuck out successfully. I waited twenty minutes, then made my move. Approaching the polar bear first, I introduced myself as Samantha Guard's investment advisor, and could I have a few moments of his time? I wrangled the persnickety owner of Culebra as well, and soon it was the three of us standing in a small room in the main house.

"I understand your client is a large investor," Rusa said, a look of impatience crossing her tight face, "but I'm afraid I can't just sit around waiting all day."

"Please just a few more minutes, ma'am, and I'm sure Miss Guard will be along."

Fortunately Sam entered the room shortly after. She nodded and smiled at Saur before leaning over and whispering to me. I whispered back, though actually we weren't telling each other anything of any importance. I tried not to blush at the dirty bit Sam included at the end of her fake-whisper.

"Of course," I said, nodding towards Sam. I turned towards Rusa. "Mrs. Perry, are you aware the secrets you've leaked to your shareholders came from Pinchbottom Industries?"

The gray-furred bear's muzzle dropped open and then slammed shut, then opened again. "I'm not aware of that, no."

I turned to Saur. "Mr. Carthage, are you aware that Mrs. Perry intends to sell the company? And that she's juicing the stock price by treating shareholders to supposedly new processes and technology?"

"I am not!"

I ignored the outraged owner. "And that Mrs. Perry is planning to pin the blame all on you?"

Saur stared at Rusa and shook head head. "I had no idea."

"It's not true!"

"Isaac flipped on you, Rusa," Sam said. "He gave you a fake document. The moment your shareholders see it, they'll know you've been playing them and the stock price will bottom out."

Rusa sat down heavily on the piano bench, a glazed expression on her face. "No, no... you can't give me a fake. They're supposed to be real! Small, real! That was the deal!"

"Fortunately, Mrs. Perry, we have a solution that can make everyone happy - and won't send you to prison."

I waited for her full attention, as well Saur's, before continuing.

"Our client only wishes for the espionage to stop and has no desire to go into an extended court battle over trivial secrets," I said. "In the spirit of forgiveness, our client is ready to drop the matter entirely with one caveat: Mr. Carthage is installed as permanent CEO and Mrs. Perry puts her interest in a trust."

"Absolutely not!" Rusa thundered, launching to her feet. "If you think I'll give up control of my own company-"

"You were about to sell out, Mrs. Perry," I pointed out. "You'll make more money by putting the ownership in a trust than you will fighting our client in court."

Saur stared at Rusa. "I can't believe it. You were going to frame me."

"Oh, get over it, Saur, it was just business."

Sam suddenly stepped forward, imposing her large body between the two.

"I propose an alternative solution," she said, pulling several cigar tins from inside her jacket pocket. "But first, we should all relax..."

The press conference took place the next day. Saur Carthage was announced as the permanent CEO. She grinned as she spoke to reporters. The muscular bear looked every inch the confident business leader, from her broad chest and perfect rack to the masculine bulge pressing from her tailored suit pants. Her thick pelt rippled around her arms and shoulders as she easily responded to the reporters' questions about the future of Culebra Corporation.

Mrs. Perry came out next. Rusa smiled sweetly for the cameras and posed with Saur. The blonde-haired bear wore a high-cut miniskirt, showing off a fantastic pair of legs. She giggled almost constantly and kept waving to Saur and blowing him kisses.

"Oh, yes, I support Saur one-hundred percent!" she said, giggling even louder for the cameras as her full chest wobbled and jiggled her pelt around. "She's really the best choice for the job, and since I'm putting my interest in a trust, there's no conflict of interests!"

"Why would there be a conflict of interest?" a reporter called out.

Saur came back out on the stage and slid a large arm down Rusa's backside, clearly squeezing at her thick hips. The owner of the company giggled again and leaned in to the muscular polar bear as she stared adoringly up at her.

"Because we're getting married!"

The flash bulbs went off as Rusa threw up her arms with excitement. Saur grinned, a bit more stoic than his excitable, airheaded new fiancee.

From the back of the gaggle of reporters, Sam grinned and nudged my side.

"We're officially matchmakers now."

"More like matchlighters," I said. "Who would have thought they'd bond over a shared passion for cigars?"

Sam coughed into her paw. "Yes... what are the odds?"

Case 008: Benny & Claudette

Chapter 37: Biggs

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the conductor speaking," a voice said over the intercom. "We have just crossed the Struwana-Werrald border and will arrive at Pine Valley Station in approximately three hours. Thank you"

I glanced at Sam, but the big grizzly was still asleep. I debated whether to get my paws busy teasing her to an erection while she slept, but the last time I did that we ended up having to pay for the compartment to be cleaned. I decided to stretch my legs instead and quietly left the compartment, taking my clutch with in case I decided to stop by the bar car. I had my in short curls and my favorite blue beret perched atop my head, plus a tight sweater and a pencil skirt in black. I strutted through the train, grinning whenever I caught a stray glance checking out my rump.

The bar car was full of people, mostly the hoity toity crowd. Like us, they were on their way back from an important art gallery opening in the capital of Struwana. I wasn't sure about the value of the art, but as he'd argued to the mostly anti-art Sam, when Penny Pinchbottom invites you somewhere, it's not really an invitation. The tan, muscular bear wanted to thank them for wrapping up her corporate espionage so well and for some reason thought a trip to Struwana a month after the Snap would do the trick. As much as Sam complained, though, I made us both attend.

At least we had a fun business meeting with Penny in her hotel room, though she did have to change rooms after.

I sidled up to the bar and signaled the lone bartender. "Gin and tonic, please," I said.

"Coming right up."

"Nobody move! This is a stickup!"

At either end of the bar cart, two large bears - one male, one female, both moon bears with their white chest stripes visible - waved guns and shouted orders at people through bandanas tied around their long muzzles.

"Just stay calm, stay quiet, and you'll stay alive! My associate will be walking towards me. As she passes, please deposit any money, jewelry, or other valuables you may possess in the bag! Again, your cooperation is very much appreciated!"

The polite tone of voice contradicted with the waving pistols. I reached into my clutch and pulled out the last of my cast - a five dollar note - and stuffed it into the bartender's tip jar before the female bear with the bag got to me. When she motioned for me to put my items in the bag, I opened the clutch, revealing it to be empty except for a pair of cigars.

"You don't have anything else? Must be broke like us, huh?"

The female moon bear laughed and held out the bag. I hated to part with a couple of my favorite cigars, but there was nothing else for it, and into the sack they went.

"Thank you again for your cooperation!" the male moon bear said when the female reached him. "Remember this always: the railroad has insurance and will reimburse you. So loooonggggg!"

With an ease that comes from much rehearsal, the pair leapt out of the moving train window at the same time. I rushed over and watched as they fell towards a lake some fifty feet below the tracks, a pair of splashes before the train kept rolling right on down the tracks.

I headed back to the bar and waited for my drink before strutting out, not a penny to my just like everyone else in the car now.

Sam wasn't exactly happy when she learned two of our cigars were stolen, but I didn't see the big deal. They were just cigars, after all.

Chapter 38: Benny

I hit the water in a ball and almost lost my grip on the bag of cash and valuables, but fortunately the drawstring stayed around my wrist as I paddled back to the surface. My head broke through a moment before Claudette's. I grinned at her and lifted the bag out of the cold water, triumphant.

"Good score!"

"Good score!"

"Hoo!"

We did our customary chest bump even in the water. Every good score deserved a big "Hoo!"

"Okay, now let's get out of this water."

We made it to shore and shook ourselves dry as best we could. Claudette found some firewood and I used a flint to get it going. We'd camp here for the night, then set out for the nearest down by following the tracks away from the direction of the train.

I grabbed the loot bag once the fire was going and spread the contents out on some dry grass close to the flames, though I was careful to keep the cash pinned under a stone. A few necklaces, some diamond jewelry, earrings, and a half dozen fancy watches. Hitting the train carrying the well-to-do art crowd was a smart call.

"Definitely a good score," I said. "We can get loads of cash for this stuff."

Claudette grinned and grabbed the two metal tubes. "Celebrate?"

"Hoo!"

"Hoo!"

I leaned back against tree stump, head tipping up as I exhaled slowly. The cigar was good. Really good. Probably one of the best I've had. Judging from the way Claudette was going after hers, she felt the same.

"There's a big horse racing event in... in Eplistan," Claudette said. "We should... hit that... train..."

I grinned and nodded. "Yeah... hit it..."

The smoke swirled around us despite the breeze carrying away the smoke from their campfire. That didn't seem so strange or bad, though because it meant I could inhale the rich, intoxicating scent of the tobacco more deeply. I panted heavily as my claws stretched across my chest. The wide v-shape of my white marking was distorted, similar to Claudettes, by a large, unwieldy pair of breasts. The stripe of white cut across my black-furred chest, dipping down between the massive orbs, reaching nearly nipple-to-nipple. My shirt stretched, flexing and tearing, as I inhaled slowly, still drawing on the cigar regularly despite the pleasure tingling in my plump nipples.

A cigar this good could not be wasted, and nothing was going to distract me - not the ache in my oversized breasts or the need between my thighs. Not even the flexing and lurching of my stiff maleness, which stretches nearly to breasts, could stop me from enjoying this cigar to the very last puff. I leaned back against the stump and rolled one paw around the tip of my length, stroking it slowly, as a growl of pleasure rolled across my lips.

Claudette growled right back and grinned at me. We looked almost like twins, though we weren't related. We both had fat, round breasts and thick malenesses, plus good builds beneath our shaggy black pelts. Living rough means getting a rough body, and ours were certainly on the rough side of things.

Claudette's growl grew as she stalked around the campfire, slowly approaching and sliding against me. I slid my claws through her hips as we blew pungent tobacco smoke into each other's faces. Our chests squeezed together, the large orbs slipping and sliding we pressed closer and tighter. I could feel Claudette's hot breath as our muzzles met, our growls intensifying, smoke pouring from our nostrils as we ground together, fur on fur, shaft on shaft. I clutched at her hips as she dragged her legs forward, straddling my hips.

"My turn first," she said, shivering as she pressed her aching feminine sex down against the thick male stalk jutting from my thighs, "then you... then me... then you..."

"Good score," I said.

Her body spread open for my length the way it always did. My staff soaked in, throbbing in the heat and warmth of her eager, wet pussy. Her hips dropped, taking my staff to the hilt as we clutched each other, flexing and moaning, squeezing as tight as we could.

Her hips popped up and down, then rolled forwards and back, milking my length as her own fat arousal dragged up and down my chest, leaving trails of pre-cum in my fur. I leaned forward and wrapped my paw around her length, drawing it up between my chest as my hips pumped eagerly, deep to the hilt, dragging every in and back and forth along Claudette's rippling, sensitive inner walls, until her hips clenched, dragging me in, holding me there as a ripple of pleasure washed across her and a gush of heat drizzled around my shaft. Her claws dragged through my pelt, tugging me close as pushed together in front of the campfire. I groaned and sought her breast with my muzzle as my thickness flexed inside her. She squeezed, tight and hot, until my eyes rolled back in my head and my hips shuddered, vibrating nearly as her powerful internal muscles around around my slick, spurting length.

Her muzzle hung open, long tongue hanging out over her lips, as I dragged my hips back, making her groan anew when I dragged my thick crown free.

"My turn," I growled, straddling her hips and guiding her fat maleness between my thighs. My drooling shaft drizzling thick seed over her full, jiggling breasts as her tip spread my sex open and pushed in firmly. I cried out, gasping and clutching at her as she pulled me down, nice and hard, making sure I could feel every inch of her flex inside my aching body. I came almost immediately, a flush of heat and pleasure that sent my eyelids fluttering. Her groans echoed back at me as I squeezed and rode, bouncing up and down and stroking with her pumping hips, until her claws dug in and held me against her thighs.

We cried out together as she came, filling me from the inside out. I pushed down hard, holding her deep, wriggling and shifting, clenching as best I could as her claws scraped down my belly, trying to hold me still. Her head tipped back as her hips lifted during an especially intense blast of pleasure, lifting me totally off the ground so that gravity itself dragged me down around her thick stalk.

My own arousal throbbed and bounced against Claudette's chest, splattering my seed over her fur as I squirmed again around her shaft, eliciting several more grunts from the shaggy-pelted moon bear. When our chests squeezed together, our white markings lined up, furthering how similar we appeared. Claudette grunted once more and shifted, pulling me off her aching length an inch at a time. She had to pause every time I squeezed, and I squeezed a lot.

"Hhnn... oh, Benny!"

"Oh, Claudette..."

She leaned in against me, snuggling up, armfuls of shaggy black fur, heavy round breasts, and powerful arms - not to mention our thick malenesses. We were the perfect match for each other.

"Mmm... Benny?"

"Yeah?"

"We should knock over a cigar shop."

"Good idea, darling."

Case 00X: The Return of Gralitch

Chapter 39: Biggs

I had just poured Sam a full mug of coffee when I heard her drop it. The ceramic shattered on impact.

"Sam?" I asked, looking at her frozen backside. I leaned to the side. "Oh! Mabel!"

Sam didn't move. She stared open-mouthed at the black and white panda bear. Mabel smiled and slid into a chair in front of my desk while I motioned for Sam to wake up. She was so weird sometimes.

"It's great to see you aga-"

"Why are people changing when they smoke the cigars? How come I remember and nobody else does? Where are you from? Why did your shop disappear?"

I looked over at Sam and raised both eyebrows. She was acting round the bend right now and glanced over at Mabel. "I'm sorry, I don't-"

Mabel cut me off this time. "It's okay, Biggs, don't worry your cute little head about it.

And so I didn't.

"Sam, sometimes - and this is very rare, like 1 in a million. Well, 1 in a half a million. Well... anyways, it's rare, but the magic might not be able to trick your brain."

The panda raised a paw, stopping Sam before she could start. "That's a bad way of explaining it. I'm a traveler. And where I travel, I like to leave things a little nicer than I found it. And I liked you two, so I thought I'd keep you two happy with my special blend. Unfortunately, as I found out last night, because of the Sam situation, the magic is leaking where it shouldn't."

I didn't understand a word, but I figured Mabel needed out help, based on how worried she sounded.

"Last night, a pair of thieves called Benny and Claudette stole my vase," Mabel said. "Remember the vase, Sam? It's my very important vase."

Sam nodded. "So... the cigars were only meant for us, but because I can remember, it allowed the magic to work on other people?"

"Ehhhhhhh... yeah, close enough," Mabel said. "Benny and Claudette certainly were juiced up on some of my cigars, but I made sure include a few that'll bring them back down to earth when they stole my vase."

I just grinned and nodded. Normally I took the lead when it came time to interview the clients, but Sam was doing great.

"What's so important about the vase?"

"It's what I use to travel."

"You travel using a vase?"

"It's complicated."

"It's a vase. How's that complicated?"

"Escape velocities, temporal thermodynamics, and five-dimensional lateral shifting are not to be taken lightly, and without my vase, none of my travel is possible. It's my anchor."

"Anchor?"

"You know if you're in a boat, the anchor is your tether? The vase is my tether, and without it, things could get... messy."

"Who stole your vase?"

"Benny and Claudette. Small-time crooks and train robbers. They stole cigars off Biggs when you returned from the terrible art exhibit."

"It was bad, wasn't it?"

The panda nodded. "Incredibly."

"So how can we help?" Biggs asked, leaning forward and plopping his chin on his paws.

"Okay, that's adorable, first of all," Mabel said, "and second, you can help by finding the person who has my vase."

"Who's that?" I asked.

"Gralitch. He found out you caught him indirectly because of what happened when you stopped the robbery at my shop. He left his hat in the cab that night."

Sam shook her head. "Gralitch is in jail, though."

"As you're about to be informed by Detective Ansom, he is not."

The phone rang and Biggs picked up the receiver. He spoke a few words, then thanked whoever called and hung up.

"That was Ansom. Gralitch broke out of prison last night."

"And wherever Gralitch is, there is also my vase."

A window near the northeast corner of the office shattered, sending broken glass across the carpet. A large rock bounced to a halt against the wall. I rushed to the window in time to see a pair of modestly sized moon bears running away down the street as fast as their stubby legs could carry them.

"There go Claudette and Benny," I said.

Sam picked up the rock and unwrapped the paper tied to it.

"If you want to see your vase again, meet me at the caretaker's cabin in Antler Rest Park." The large grizzly flipped the paper over, showing it to Mabel and me. "It's signed 'G'."

"Gralitch," I said.

"Let's go, Biggs," Sam said. She reached into her desk and pulled out a leather belt. She fastened it around her wide hips. It held two holders and around twenty spare bullets, and hung at an angle on her hips, above her trousers.

I armed myself as well, though I had to find the clutch with the pistol in it before I was ready. Where did all these purses come from? I pulled my beret firmly over my head and stuck my pistol into the clutch that seemed most appropriate for a midnight shootout - a black one with some fancy buttons sewn in around the edges.

The caretaker's cabin sat near the center of the park by a large, oval lake.It was about an hour and a half to get to the park and another half hard to get to the cabin. There was a single road to get to the lodge and several hiking trails. Not trusting that Gralitch didn't set up boobytraps or other tricks, we approached slowly on the main road, taking our time to crawl up the hills and down the slopes on the winding road in the dark.

I gripped Sam's paw on the bench seat of the old car as Mabel bounced around in the back, a discontented frown on her face, though whether it was the lack of shocks or the lack of her "anchor" as she put it, I didn't know.

A rifle flashed in the darkness. I ducked instinctively as Sam screeched to a halt when another shot blew out the front passenger tire. Fortunately, we were going slow, so the attempted ambush could only slow us down. Mabel huddled in the backseat as Sam and I raced out of the car and into the dark night, splitting up and going in opposite directions. I held my clutch in one hand and my pistol in the other. I crouched low behind a tree and sniffed the air. I could smell at least two bears. Was it Claudette and Benny? I couldn't tell for sure.

Creeping along slowly, I scanned ahead of me, looking for any telltale glint in the darkness. I moved slow, trying not to make a single sound. From off to the left and in front of me, I heard gunshots. Something moved in a bush in front of me and I fired my pistol. There was a thud as a body hit the ground, but the forest lit up with fire after that. Dropped to the ground as bullets flew by overhead. A low, reverberating roar echoed through the dark forest. Something huge ran incredibly fast, rustling the bushes and slamming into any shadow that moved. Biggs kept low, ears perked, listening as one shooter after another cried out and went silent.

One of the shooters screamed into the darkness and fired blindly. He dropped a moment later when a huge shadow emerged from the darkness of the forest around him.

"Biggs!"

"Here," I hissed back, and the shadow melted away again.

A massive paws stretched towards me and I managed to stifle the shriek as I realized it was Sam.

"Was that all of them?" I hissed.

"I think so. Should we get Mabel?"

"We better."

Sam melted into the undergrowth again, invisible despite her size, and I retreated to the stalled car. With a crippling number of bullet holes in the engine, it seemed likely that this was the car's final journey.

"Mabel! Mabel!"

A black and white head popped up over the backseat.

"Did you find my vase?"

"We think we've got a clear path to the house. Follow me and try to be quiet."

"What?" Mabel said, speaking at a normal volume which, in the silence of the forest, seemed deafening. Biggs shushed the older panda, but Mabel grinned and lifted her paws. "Sorry, couldn't resist," she whispered. "Lead the way!"

Biggs crept back towards the same point he met Sam at before. He held his gun at his side as Mabel crouched against a rock, peering owlishly into the darkness. When a huge shape rose up in front of Biggs, he started backwards and started to raise the pistol, a large brown paw grasped his wrist, keeping his pistol pointed at the ground.

"Ready?" Sam asked.

I swallowed and nodded. Sam handled this sort of thing far better than I did, I was quickly discovering. The eight-foot grizzly was like a specter as she glided through the forest towards the cabin in the center of a large clearing on the edge of the lake.

"Wait," Sam said, holding up a paw.

She stared at the house for several minutes, barely blinking as she focused on the upper stories.

"I'll be right back."

The big bear disappeared into the underbrush. A few minutes later, a huge rock sailed out of the forest and crashed through the windshield of a park jeep in front of the cabin. Even I could see the movement in the upper windows of the cabin and the glint of rifles in the moonlight of the open field.

"We'll need to find a way to sneak up," Sam said, materializing at my side again. "There's at least two of them in the windows."

"Or we create a distraction..."

Chapter 40: Sam

Biggs scurried off into the trees, heading for the driveway. If he crept from the far west side, he could approach from behind several boulders and get close enough to drop a lit cigar down the gas tank of the jeep. With luck, the explosion would distract the snipers long enough to me to get across the open field.

The minutes passed slowly. I could feel the tension in my body as I stayed ready to bolt the moment the truck went up. My breathing was slow and steady as I tried to control the racing of my heart.

Beside me, Mabel stirred.

"Now," she whispered.

The forest lit up in orange as an echoing boom expanded outwards. I stumbled forward, then dug my claws into the grass and put my head down, powering myself across the slick grass. I didn't hear any shots by the time I pressed myself up against the side of the house.

Hopefully Biggs was careful about the cigar like I told him - put it on the edge, balanced, so that it would fall in until it burned down an inch, which would give him time to get away from the explosion. I turned towards the wall of the house, crouched, and leapt, hauling myself up and over onto the lower roof. As I got to my feet, I saw a dark-furred bear with a gun staring at me out of a window fifteen feet up and ten feet away. He lifted a shotgun and aimed.

I dove to the side and rolled. My paw slapped to my side, grabbing one of my pistols as I ended on my feet in a run. Closing one eye, I squeezed the trigger. The bear in the window staggered backwards and crashed through the pane of glass behind him, tumbling off the roof. I didn't stop as I saw a glint of metal in the moonlight. Aiming with one arm, I squeezed off a few rounds, keeping the bear pinned down as I leapt onto the second story roof, landing with a thud and skidding across the loose tiles.

My claws scraped across the roof as I slid right past the window where an astonished looking bear stared at me, a confused look on his face as I drew a bead. He fell backwards, ricocheted off the wall, and pitched forward out of the glass I'd just shot him through. His shotgun tumbled out after as I leaned against the wall of the third floor, catching my breath. There was no movement for a few long minutes, so I peeked around the corner and into the hallway where one of the gunmen was earlier. Watching my step for broken glass, I carefully made my way into the hall and towards the stairs.

I couldn't hear any movement or breathing, but I still proceeded cautiously, one of my pistols in each paw now so I could shoot either direction if necessary. I poked my head into the bedrooms on the third floor, making sure they were empty, before going down the stairs and clearing the second floor as well.

When I got to the first floor, I made my way through the kitchen and living room, but it was all quiet. I wondered if Gralitch was even here, or if it was all a not-so-elaborate ambush.

The front door opened and I pressed myself against the wall, but relaxed when I saw the outline of Biggs's head and ears - the beret made the silhouette unmistakable. A second head peeked around the corner - Mabel.

There was only one place Gralitch could be if he were still here. I pointed at the door to the basement. Because the house was so close to the lake, the basement was small and at the highest point of the house furthest away from the water. I crouched by the door and motioned for Mabel and Biggs to get behind me against the wall.

When they were in place, I grasped the handle and turned it nice and slow. I held my breath as I heard the latch open. I swung it open, then jerked my paw back.

The blast of a shotgun filled the night air. A spray of pellets struck the wall opposite the door.

I couldn't tell whether it was a single-shot boobytrap or Gralitch with a shotgun trained on the door, and I didn't want to risk my head looking. I glanced over at Biggs. He looked a little pale as he stared at the wall where he and Mable stood before I moved them behind me.

"Don't worry, Biggs," I whispered. "He's got nowhere to hide now."

I was going to say more, but a familiar scent tingled my nostrils. I shifted my gaze to Mabel, ears perked forward, asking the obvious question.

Mabel shrugged. "He could have. He's not so bright, you know."

Biggs looked from me to Mabel and back again. "Did I miss something?"

"Don't worry about it," Mabel said, and instantly Biggs relaxed.

"That's a neat trick," I said.

"Comes in handy in situations like this."

"This happens to you a lot?"

Mabel shifted against the wall, looking evasive. "Uh... I'd say it's infrequent."

I stared hard at the panda. "Uh huh."

My nostrils twitched again though, and I was reminded why we were here.

"Gralitch?" I called out.

There was no answer, but a large cloud of smoke billowed out of the doorway to the basement.

"Wait here. Shoot anyone coming out of that basement," I told Biggs. He nodded grimly and adjusted his grip on his pistol.

I strode across the living room to the first floor bathroom and smashed the mirror inside with the butt of my pistol. I plucked a large shard from the pieces and quickly resumed my place near the door. As smoke continued to billow out of the basement, I used the shard of glass to look down the stairs.

I could see the shotgun that was boobytrapped to off when the door opened. There was a simple rope system attached to the doorknob. I couldn't see any other mounted weapons and there was no sign of Gralitch - at least, at the foot of the stairs where I could see.

"Gralitch?" I called out again. "Throw your gun down, Gralitch!"

Still no response. I held my pistol out and slowly advanced down the stairs, stopping at the third step. I leaned over and used the shard of glass to check it was clear as the pungent smoke swirled and billowed, as thick as I could ever remember it being. I found it hard to breath as the tantalizing and intoxicating rich tobacco smoke enveloped my head, flowing into my nostrils and lungs, sending sparks of electricity up and down my spine. I turned the glass and still didn't see the escaped criminal. But where did all the smoke come from?

I was halfway down the steps and checking with the mirror every direction I could when I saw the rifle and pistol laying across a pair of wide thighs. Despite their width, the legs were short, so that he had a far shorter and squatter profile than Gralitch.

It wasn't until I got around the corner of the stairs and, both pistols trained, realized it was Gralitch. He hid behind the stairs, intending to blast anyone who came down, but he'd been overcome by the cigar smoke. There was an empty blue box at his feet and the familiar blue and white vase tucked into the corner, apparently undamaged.

I kicked the rifle and pistol away from Gralitch before dragging him towards the bottom of the stairs and tying him up with some electrical cords laying in a bundle. He mumbled something as Mabel and Biggs cautiously came down the stairs.

"My vase!"

The panda rushed over to her fragile ceramic pot, examining it all over for any signs of chips or other damage. She smiled when she realized it was still in one piece.

I motioned with my head towards Gralitch. He was half his former height. The massive grizzly was massive no more. The only big thing about him was his plump rear end, which his oversized pants could barely fit around despite being a foot and a half too long for his legs.

"Alright, Gralitch," I said, grabbing him by the arms. "Time to go back to prison."

"Oh, sure, prison's nice," the grizzly mumbled, eyes wide and unseeing.

"Really not a smart bear at all," Mabel muttered. Biggs followed me up the stairs, but I stopped and threw a glance at Mabel.

"Don't think you're going anywhere yet. You owe me some answers."

"Answers about what?" Biggs asked.

At the same time, Mable and I responded to the black bear in unison: "Don't worry about it."

"Okay!"

Mabel didn't vanish from the basement in a cloud of smoke as I have expected her to. She waited outside the cabin with Biggs and I as we watched the flashing red and blue lights of the police come closer through the forest.

The panda shifted from foot to foot and scratched the back of her neck.

"Listen," she said, tapping her claws on the vase. "I don't really do well around authority figures. For some reason they tend to see me as untrustworthy."

"Oh?" I asked. "And why ever would anyone assume that about you and your magic cigars?"

"Fair point. But really, Sam - I'm leaving. Not sure I'll be back for a while. I am a traveller - that was the truth."

"So how is this going to work? Am I going to be aware of these changes forever?"

"Which changes?" Biggs asked.

"Don't worry about it!"

Mabel shook her head. "I don't know, to be honest. Would you prefer not to know?"

"That's not a helpful answer."

"The magic can't change the true nature of a person. It can elevate certain attributes, certainly, but it merely exposes the hidden rather than create something wholesale."

"That's not a helpful answer either."

Mabel shrugged, then smiled. The flashing red and blues grew brighter, reflecting off the vase as she twisted the top.

"Thanks for the help, Sam, and take care of Biggs!" she said. "And be careful who you let Biggs smoke with!"

And then she was gone. It wasn't fancy. One minute she was there, the next she wasn't.

I didn't have much time to think about it. Armed police drew their guns as I held up my private detective license and put my hands in the air. Biggs followed suit as he told one of the officers to call Detective Ansom. By the time he showed up, they'd let us out of handcuffs and were taking our statements instead. Bright flood lights shone in all directions as medical personnel retrieved a few bodies and even more unconscious figures. A few deputies gathered dozens of handguns, rifles, and shotguns from the house and surrounding woods.

Detective Ansom leaned against the hood of his unmarked patrol car as I stood with Biggs, one of my paws casually draped over his shoulder. The police returned our pistols after briefly detaining us to make sure we weren't going to be arrested.

"Looks like a damn war zone," Ansom said. "Can't believe you took them all out without getting plugged."

"I lead a charmed existence," I said.

"Gotta be someone looking out for you," Ansom said. "There won't be any charges against you this time, but you go into a firefight without calling me, I'll put you both in a cell myself. Got it?"

I grinned and nodded. "Trust me, detective, the last thing on my mind is getting into a firefight anytime soon."

Biggs nodded. "I think our next case is gonna be something simple. Maybe a cheating husband."

Ansom grinned. "Somehow, I really doubt that."

Chapter 41: Biggs

Sam's hot breath slid across my muzzle as I groaned with lust. Her hips shoved forward, filling me over and over again. Her thick fur splayed into mine as I wrapped my claws around her shoulders, holding myself close as her powerful hips pumped away, stretching me open over and over. I panted and moaned, shuddering as I tried to keep my legs wrapped around Sam's hips, swinging my entire body against those wide thighs. Her eager growls rumbled through me as she exhaled, blowing a rich cloud of tobacco smoke across my face. Her smile grew as I squeezed even more tightly.

Dropping her chest low, she pinned me down to the mattress with her weight. I gasped as I clenched at the huge grizzly's arms, feeling the balls of muscle flex and grow with each effort. Her stalk thrust deep, opening me, claiming me. Nobody ever could fill me like Sam could, I was confident of that. Her muzzle dropped as she pulled the cigar from her lips and I closed my eyes as she blew the warm smoke down my throat. My erection ached against her hard belly and shaggy pelt as her claws dug into my plush rump. I cried out, moaning with eagerness as Sam's hard body swarmed me, pushing and grasping, pulling me down, making my hips quiver and my groans catch in my throat.

Sam sensed my need like she always did. Leaning back, she smirked down at me as I squirmed under her claws. One of her paws wrapped around my length, stroking me in her palm as the other pressed down on my chest. At the same time, her hips hammered home, again and again, hard and fast, smoothly stroking to the hilt. I closed my eyes, chest extending outwards, panting and crying out with pleasure. I came hard, squirting ropes of white seed past my shoulders and head before the last few splattered across my shoulders. I squirmed around Sam's shaft, moaning, gasping for breath as her claws and fingers wrapped around my hips, dimpling my plush rump and pulling me down firmly, making sure my thick cheeks squeezed around her heavy balls.

A rumbling growl accompanied the large grizzly's orgasm. I squirmed under her paw, legs shifting, body clenching and unclenching around the massive stalk flexing up against my belly. I shuddered and closed my eyes, luxuriating in the sensation of the much larger bear's paw spreading across my chest, pressing me into the mattress with such ease.

Sam panted hard above me, gasping for breath herself her thick stalk twitched, sending little aftershocks of intense pleasure down into the root of her fat maleness. I shivered as the monstrous length flexed again, stretching and filling me just the right amount. Her muzzle dipped, catching mind in a tobacco-flavored kiss. Her eyes closed as her tongue pressed forward, filling my muzzle.

I don't know how long we laid there like that, but I loved the feeling of her length resting inside me, slowly pulsing, shrinking down a little as I gradually milk the long, thick organ. I stroked my claws along her shoulders as she growled with pleasure. Every now and then she pressed the still burning stub of the cigar to her muzzle or mine so we could enjoy the last inch or so of the tobacco still inside the barrel. When she wasn't sucking the end of the cigar, her lips flapped around ears, making them twitch back and forth constantly against her nose. I giggled as she grinned down at me.

"You're gonna wear me out," she grunted, shifting her hips. "One day my cock's gonna fall right off."

I grinned and slid a finger down her chest, teasing the thick ruff of fur puffing outwards at the top of her cleavage.

"We'd glue it back on and keep going," I say, shifting side to side and moaning, knowing how much Sam like to hear me verbalize what I was feeling.

"Good thing you're so cute or I'd get bored humping your plump heinie."

"Good thing you're so big or I'd get bored being humped."

"Fair enough."

The large bear leaned lower and rolled onto her side, clutching me close and nuzzling at the back of my neck.

"We should go to work," I said.

Her hips said otherwise.

Chapter 42: Mabel

I blinked as one existence faded into a new one. There was the usual brief moment of disorientation as I adjusted to the gravity and nitrogen/oxygen ratio and all those other boring biological processes. I flicked my large tail behind me. It was longer than I was tall and usually curled over and up against my shoulders. The white stripes ran all the way down my tail, all the way to the tip. I stretched my arms, automatically feeling more relaxed in my natural form. Bears were fun, but I was a skunk at heart.

I leaned over and picked up the slick, dark gray steel case. Thumbing the latches, it popped open, revealing a padded interior and single blue and gold box of cigars. Now this was an anchor, I thought. Let someone try to steal and break this! Whoever decided that a vase for a bear planet was a good idea needed their head checked.

I checked my pockets next and smiled when I found a smartphone in my pocket. Real-time weather reports were something I would no longer take for granted after getting deluged with rain and snow every time I stepped outside.

Now, let's see... I opened the smartphone and tapped the screen, double checking to make sure a box of cigars would go to Biggs and Cunningham every month. It was the least I could do, after all. As for this plane of existence, I already had some deliveries to make here. Temperate weather, pleasant population, lots of opportunities to open shop in various shopping centers... this plane would do nicely. For a while.

I am a traveler, after all.